Radioactive Parcel Bound for U.S. Seized in Ukraine

yahoo.com ^

[Sub-Driver]

Radioactive Parcel Bound for U.S. Seized in Ukraine

KIEV (Reuters) - A radioactive package addressed to the United States has been seized at Ukraine's main airport in the capital Kiev, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday.

The regional emergencies ministry said the package, discovered Tuesday, was emitting radiation at a rate thousands of times higher than the norm in Kiev of 0.05 milliroentgens an hour.

"This material is being investigated," said Mykola Karabet, duty officer for the emergencies ministry in the Borispyl region of Kiev. "We do not know what it is.

"It was a parcel in some luggage to be sent by air transport... There is no threat to human health or life."

The United States has been on alert for suspect packages since Washington was all but shut down by letters containing anthrax powder in 2001.

In Ukraine, metal scrap and other objects from the Chernobyl region are often stopped at the borders of the former Soviet state for higher than normal radiation levels.

Large swathes of the country were left with high levels of radioactivity after Chernobyl's reactor number four exploded in 1986, in the world's worst civil nuclear disaster.

Health officials have blamed that accident for thousands of deaths from radiation-linked illnesses and an increase in thyroid cancer.

[TexasNative2000]

I wonder what the actual address of destination was.

[TBall]

I wonder why they did not switch and see who picked up the suitcase?

[coloradan]

Dear Vladimir,

Our radishes here continue to grow fantastically. Enclosed is some of the soil they grow in, maybe with it you can finally have some better luck in your garden.

Sergei,
Chernobyl,
Ukraine

[xJones]

In Ukraine, metal scrap and other objects from the Chernobyl region are often stopped at the borders of the former Soviet state for higher than normal radiation levels.

One of the world's worst jobs must be the Chernobyl Secretary for Tourism, but would you believe there are actually tour groups promoting it? Here's one: Visit scenic Chernobyl

[TADSLOS]

Fragmentation material for a dirty bomb?

[xJones]

From the Chernobyl tour link that I posted in #5, my favorite quote is
"13:00 - 13:30 Lunch (the quality of food is guaranteed)."

I suppose that means that the mushrooms won't be allowed to crawl off your plate.

[gridlock]

Large swathes of the country were left with high levels of radioactivity after Chernobyl's reactor number four exploded in 1986, in the world's worst civil nuclear disaster.

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't one of the primary functions of the Chernobyl reactor to produce plutonium for the Soviet nuclear weapons program? I realize that it is a fools errand to try to differentiate between military and civil structures in a centralized economy like the former Soviet Union, but to call the Chernobyl reactor a civil nuclear facility seems to me to be incorrect.

[piasa]

fyi

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!